It is known that the front roof area in a cabriolet vehicle of the mentioned type, when the roof is opened, lies with its rigid roof top over other areas of the roof in the fashion of a cover and remains openly visible from the top. The roof then lies in an auto body recess made in the outside surface of the auto body. It encloses the recess at least on the sides and rear. In the front it is indirectly or often directly connected to a passenger compartment.
In this case, on the one hand the rear limitation of the recess, which represents a front edge of the body outside surface connected farther to the rear is designed in a curved shape, which runs forward to the vehicle sides, for a harmonic transition of the edges bordering the recess. Functionally this is also desirable for the largest possible access opening beneath a trunk lid adjacent to the rear, which is supposed to lie with its front limitation edge (in the direction of travel) parallel to the front edge that borders the recess.
On the other hand, a roof of the mentioned type, when opened, is supposed to fold in behind the rigidly held from below front roof area so that the folding edge there, if possible, runs at least almost linearly in a 90° angle relative to the direction of travel over the roof width in a top view in order to ensure a clean cover trend when the roof is closed without additional areas of loose fabric or folds.
Consequently, a conflict arises on the rear edge of the limitation of the recess at least in the side corner areas between the linear rear edge of the front roof part which then lies on the top, and the limitation edge of the recess which points forward on the transverse sides. If the corners of the front roof part during roof movement are supposed to be passed by the edge without collision, a significant spacing between the parts is therefore essential. Consequently, an elongated gap between the edge of the recess and the folding edge of the front roof part positioned to the rear remains at least in the area of the vertical vehicle longitudinal center plane in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Such gaps, however, are aesthetically undesirable and without additional measures also make possible unauthorized access into the trunk situated beneath it.
An attempt to mitigate this conflict consists of providing for the rear end area of the recess a narrow moving hinged cover almost crescent-shaped in top view whose rear edge lies essentially across the vehicle and whose front edge lies in the desired curvature with the forward facing areas. This moving cover, however, requires additional drive and control expense and with its additional side joints interferes with the appearance of the outer surface of the auto body.